


Boiling Point

by citrinesunset



Category: Killing Eve (TV 2018)
Genre: Age Difference, Ambiguous Relationships, F/F, First Time, Teacher-Student Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-24
Updated: 2018-10-24
Packaged: 2019-08-06 19:38:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16393910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/citrinesunset/pseuds/citrinesunset
Summary: Anna Leonova knows how things between her Oksana might look. But she never asked for Oksana's affection.





	Boiling Point

**Author's Note:**

  * For [M J Holyoke (wholeyolk)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wholeyolk/gifts).



> Note: I've warned for underage here because Oksana may be under 18 (maybe around 16 or 17) at this point. At least, that's my understanding based on the canon timeline and the school system in Russia.

There was a box on her desk. Non-descript, white, with a gold ribbon tied around it. Anna looked for a note (there was none), and then slid the ribbon off and opened the lid. Inside, nestled on a small cushion, was a necklace. A fine silver chain with a rose-shaped pendant.

She looked up, and that was when she saw her. Oksana was standing just outside the classroom, her face half-obscured by the doorframe. She smiled.

"Is this from you?" Anna asked, even though she already knew. It wasn't the first gift. But with Oksana, it was easy to be caught off guard.

"Do you like it? I thought it suited you."

Anna didn't know what to say. She knew that some people—most of her colleagues, perhaps—would say that receiving such a gift from a student, especially at work, was a bad idea. It might make people talk. At best, it might create the appearance of favoritism. At worst—

Not that she agreed, of course. Anna took a deep breath. What did concern her was the quality of the necklace. It was simple but had the look of something that might be expensive. The chain was fine and smooth. The pendant had a mirror finish and fine detailing.

"It's lovely," she said, and before she could say anything else, some of her other students began to filter into the room. She quickly shut the box and tucked it in her purse.

It wasn't until later, when class was over, that she bolstered her courage and approached Oksana. Oksana made it easy on her. She was always the last student to leave, always lingering behind even if she had no questions.

Anna held out the box toward her. "Thank you," she said, "but I'm not sure if I should accept this. It's too nice. Why did you get this for me?"

"If you didn’t want a present, why did you tell me about your birthday?"

Anna shook her head. "Did I?"

Perhaps she had, in passing. She honestly couldn't remember. But Oksana seemed to remember everything.

"If you don't like it," Oksana said, "I'll take it back."

There was a petulant edge to her voice, and Anna became uneasy. She was the only person at the school that Oksana didn't withdraw from. She'd seen how Oksana was with the other teachers, aloof and irreverent. Oksana ignored her classmates at best, and showed derision at worst. She mostly behaved herself in Anna's class, but teachers talked to one another.

It would be the worst irony, to be the one to push Oksana away.

Anna smiled uneasily. "Of course I like it. It's lovely. But I feel bad that you spent the money."

Had she paid for it? Anna couldn't imagine how. She had no job. Her father was far from wealthy. The first time Oksana gave her a gift, Anna made the mistake of telling her husband about it. He'd immediately reached the conclusion that Oksana had stolen it, and Anna had agreed with him and pretended to be more concerned than she was. She'd said she would talk to the head of the school about it.

Secretly, though, she couldn't bring herself to blame Oksana too much. There was something a little thrilling about how Oksana acted like she could do whatever she wanted. The world hadn't yet taught her that she couldn't, and in a way, Anna hoped it never would.

She didn't tell Max about the gifts anymore, if she could avoid it. In retrospect, she thought he seemed rather jealous. Imagine that, him feeling threatened by one of her students. She saw no point in bringing the topic up. He would deny it, or they would argue. And for what?

The following afternoon, Oksana didn't come to class. This happened sometimes, though it had been a rarer occurrence lately. Anna tried to shake the matter from her mind and not worry, but any time her peripheral vision caught the sight of someone out in the hall, her eyes wandered in that direction, hoping it might be Oksana arriving late.

At the end of the day, when Ann was leaving the building, she did a double take when she noticed Oksana leaning against the wall by the doors.

"Where have you been? You weren't in class today."

Oksana ignored the question. "I thought we could go to your place. So you can help me with my English."

"I don't know about today. I need to make dinner. Perhaps next week."

"Isn't your husband out of town this week?"

"How did you—" She shook her head. "I'm cooking for myself. And I don't owe you answers."

Oksana pushed herself off the wall with the sole of her boot. She walked closer, burying her hands in the pockets of her coat. With a little smile, she said, "I could help you eat it."

Anna was only thinking of refusing because she felt like that was what people expected of her. If she were being honest, she didn't want to say no. If she let Oksana leave alone, she would spend her evening wondering where she'd ended up going, and if she was unhappy or getting herself in trouble.

So instead, she smiled and said, "If you help me cook, we can practice your English while we work."

* * *

Should she have felt guilty, bringing Oksana home with her? The first few times she'd done it, she didn't think about it much. It seemed natural. It wasn't something she was expected to do, giving Oksana extra lessons outside of school. But Oksana appreciated the lessons, and Anna had seen how students with less support at home sometimes struggled, even if they were very bright.

But of course, it wasn't something she told her boss or colleagues about.

Max had asked her to stop bringing Oksana over. The girl was too clingy, he said. But Oksana was right—he was out of town this week, visiting his sister.

Anna didn't want to think of all this, but she couldn't put it out of her mind. While she checked the pasta that was boiling on the stove, she looked over at Oksana, who was cutting up carrots.

"You know, some people might talk, if they knew you liked to come over."

Oksana looked at her coyly. "And what would they say?"

"You're a smart girl. You expect me to believe you don't know?" She looked down and shook her head. "Sometimes I think you like to tease me, making me say things like this out loud."

Oksana shrugged and went back to chopping. Anna didn't like how fast she handled the knife. What if she cut herself, and Anna had to take her to the hospital?

Oksana shrugged. "It's true, isn't it?"

"I wouldn't," Anna said with a scoff. "I'm your teacher."

"So?" she said, as though it were that simple. Perhaps for her, it was. "Why do you never ask for what you want?"

"You think I don't?" She thought back to their exchange about the necklace, how Oksana seemed to think she was hinting for a birthday present. She wasn't. But of course it was nice, to be appreciated without having to ask for it.

Wasn't that what all teachers wanted? To be appreciated?

"No, I don't think you do. Lucky for both of us that I'm a better guesser than your husband is."

"Oksana!" Anna was ready to chide her, even kick her out if necessary. There had to be a limit.

Oksana stepped away from the counter and trapped Anna up against the stove. She kissed her. 

Anna's breath quickened, the rise and fall of her chest filling the narrow space between their bodies. She had the heat of the stove at her back. She could hear the pot boiling. In front of her, Oksana still held the knife.

"The pot will boil over," she said. She knew immediately that if that was the strongest resistance she could muster, it was hopeless. She was not going to kick Oksana out. To pretend otherwise was folly.

"Then turn it off. I'm not hungry."

Oksana kissed her again. Her breath was warm. Her lips stuck to Anna's like the attraction between them was magnetic.

Anna fumbled behind her and turned the knob until she heard it click. Regardless of what happened, they weren't going to finish dinner.

Nothing about this felt as shocking as it should have. It was like acting out a dream in the waking world--familiar, but with vividness that she couldn't have prepared herself for.

Oksana set the knife on the counter with a clatter and stepped in close to Anna. She put a hand under Anna's skirt and ran it up the length of her thigh. Anna could picture her delicate fingers with the fingernails bitten short.

"I was going to play the nice schoolgirl for you," she whispered in Anna's ear, "but if I waited for you to seduce me, I'd be an old lady before you did anything. It's easier if it's my idea."

"I never asked you to do this," she said, as much for her own benefit as for Oksana's.

With her free hand, Oksana pushed aside the collar of Anna's shirt. Her eyes lit up, and she brushed her fingertips against Anna's collarbone. "You're wearing my present."

The necklace felt heavy all of a sudden. Nerves that had grown accustomed to its presence woke up and ignited.

She knew she was supposed to tell Oksana that she never intended for this to happen. She was supposed to make Oksana leave now.

She didn't.

Instead, Anna closed her eyes and gripped the edge of the stove like she wanted to crush it. Oksana leaned forward and pressed kisses first to her throat and then to the necklace.


End file.
